What's inside
What's inside
Key Ingredients
No key ingredients
Benefits
Concerns
Ingredients Side-by-side
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Brassica Alcohol
Emollient
Stearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter
Emollient
Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil
Skin Conditioning
Ethylhexyl Olivate
Skin Conditioning
Cocos Nucifera Oil
Masking
Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate
Emulsion StabilisingAdansonia Digitata Seed Oil
Emollient
Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil
Emollient
Caprylyl Glycol
Emollient
Glycerin
Humectant
Caprylhydroxamic Acid
Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride
Skin ConditioningTetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate
Squalane
Emollient
Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice
Skin Conditioning
Citric Acid
Buffering
Water, Cetearyl Alcohol, Brassica Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Astrocaryum Murumuru Seed Butter, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Ethylhexyl Olivate, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Brassicyl Isoleucinate Esylate, Adansonia Digitata Seed Oil, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Caprylyl Glycol, Glycerin, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Guar Hydroxypropyltrimonium Chloride, Tetrasodium Glutamate Diacetate, Squalane, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Citric Acid
Water
Skin ConditioningCetearyl Alcohol
Emollient
Isohexadecane
EmollientIsododecane
EmollientBehentrimonium Methosulfate
Surfactant
Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil
Antioxidant
Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract
MaskingAscophyllum Nodosum Extract
Skin ConditioningAloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract
Emollient
Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract
AntimicrobialAnthemis Nobilis Flower Extract
Masking
Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract
HumectantPPG-5-Ceteth-20
EmulsifyingCitric Acid
Buffering
Tetrasodium EDTA
Magnesium Nitrate
Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone
PEG-12 Dimethicone
Skin Conditioning
Sodium Glycolate
BufferingMethylisothiazolinone
Preservative
Methylchloroisothiazolinone
Preservative
Magnesium Chloride
Sodium Hydroxide
BufferingParfum
Masking
Limonene
Perfuming
CI 42090
Cosmetic ColorantCI 19140
Cosmetic ColorantWater, Cetearyl Alcohol, Isohexadecane, Isododecane, Behentrimonium Methosulfate, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Oil, Hedychium Coronarium Root Extract, Ascophyllum Nodosum Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Anthemis Nobilis Flower Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis Leaf Extract, PPG-5-Ceteth-20, Citric Acid, Tetrasodium EDTA, Magnesium Nitrate, Bisamino PEG/PPG-41/3 Aminoethyl Pg-Propyl Dimethicone, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Sodium Glycolate, Methylisothiazolinone, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Magnesium Chloride, Sodium Hydroxide, Parfum, Limonene, CI 42090, CI 19140
Ingredients Explained
These ingredients are found in both products.
Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.
Cetearyl alcohol is a waxy mixture of two fatty alcohols: cetyl alcohol and stearyl alcohol. It is an emollient and emulsifier.
Despite having "alcohol" in its name, it has nothing to do with drying solvent alcohols; the FDA also allows "alcohol-free" products to contain fatty alcohols like this ingredient.
It plays several roles in a formula:
Typical use levels for this ingredient sit around 1-10% and the Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel has affirmed safety at concentrations up to 25% in leave-on products.
Multiple assessments have found it to be non-irritating and non-sensitizing to most people.
However, there have been some cases of allergic contact dermatitis in patients with chronically compromised skin barriers.
Cetearyl alcohol has a comedogenic rating of 2 and irritancy rating of 1. Both of these numbers come from the 1989 study that used rabbit ears; a "2" means mildly comedogenic and a "1" means low irritancy.
Here's the catch: rabbit skin is more sensitive than human skin and throws a lot of false positives. A 1996 reappraisal found that ingredients rated 1-2 in the rabbit ear tests are generally safe for humans.
Remember comedogenic ratings are unable to assess the entire formula of a product or how it will react on your skin. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure about certain ingredients.
This ingredient is not fungal acne safe. Cetearyl alcohol is a fatty alcohol with chain lengths that fall within the range that Malassezia can metabolize.
A 2019 study has also observed Malassezia growth in the presence of this ingredient, confirming it to be not-fungal acne safe.
Learn more about Cetearyl AlcoholCitric Acid is an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) naturally found in citrus fruits like oranges, lemons, and limes.
Like other AHAs, citric acid can exfoliate skin by breaking down the bonds that hold dead skin cells together. This helps reveal smoother and brighter skin underneath.
However, this exfoliating effect only happens at high concentrations (20%) which can be hard to find in cosmetic products.
Due to this, citric acid is usually included in small amounts as a pH adjuster. This helps keep products slightly more acidic and compatible with skin's natural pH.
In skincare formulas, citric acid can:
While it can provide some skin benefits, research shows lactic acid and glycolic acid are generally more effective and less irritating exfoliants.
Most citric acid used in skincare today is made by fermenting sugars (usually from molasses). This synthetic version is identical to the natural citrus form but easier to stabilize and use in formulations.
Read more about some other popular AHA's here:
Learn more about Citric AcidWater. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.
So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.
You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!
Learn more about Water
